Romanticism
Third of May 1808 by Francisco Goya (Madrid, Spain)
Staying true to the trends of the romanticism era, Goya created a painting that intended to shock and illicit emotions from its audience. He illustrated a tragic scene from Spain, in which French soldiers are arresting and killing Spaniards that are rebelling against them. The riots ended in almost 400 people dead (Leader).
Reminiscent of the Baroque era, the use of chiaroscuro adds to the theatricality of the piece. The man about to be executed by the French soldiers is wearing the only light colored clothing, drawing your eye to him, with his hands held in the air in surrender. These subtle, or maybe not so subtle elements work to villains the French soldiers.
Hay Wain by John Constable (London 1821)
I wanted to include the two different romanticism styles, this piece illustrates the dreamy landscape scenes that are often associated with the romantic era. Constable was able demonstrate great use of light to create a very peaceful setting, as well as highlight the serenity of the English grounds.
I'm particularly fond of these types of romantic paintings, I've previously illustrated my bias for paintings from the Baroque period so it's not surprise that I favor the dramatic style used for the tragic scene by Goya. I also appreciate the attention to detail and peacefulness in the landscape pieces.
Impressionism
Impression Sunrise by Claude Monet (1874)
While I appreciate what impressionism is and what it did for the entire art timeline, I cannot find it in myself to find most of the impressionist pieces appealing. I always think of the slang term "monet" being used for something that looks good from far away but is really just a mess close up.
Monets short erratic brush strokes do convey a sense of almost straightforwardness and effortlessness that I can appreciate. He also somehow illustrates great use of light by using bright colors.
Dancers Practicing at the Barre by Edgar Degas (1877)
Edgar Degas never committed to declaring himself an impressionist, however this piece is done in quite the impressionist fashion. Painted in beautiful pastels and complete with broken frenzied brushstrokes, this piece is everything an impressionist piece should be. I also find myself drawn to the conscious decision of the asymmetrical frame of the piece.
Works Cited
Samu, Margaret. "Impressionism: Art and Modernity." Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History (2004).
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ReplyDeleteHi Taylor,
ReplyDeleteI think there is no better example of Romanticism than Goya. I have chosen his paintings as well in my blog and those have definitely not been my favorite.
If I would have to choose between those two styles, Romanticism and Impressionism I would choose the second mentioned. Even if I do agree, that those paintings are looking the best from further away and are nothing for the detail lover, but I love the colors of Monet's art piece "Impression Sunrise".
Monet's earlier paintings are so much different and gorgeous. But after his first child died, he tried to attempt suicide, through drowning and jumped into the Seine. After he survived this, he went on to join a group of like-minded artists. They together found the Impressionist movement. He would continue to struggle with depression for the rest of his life. I thought that this was a great fact about him and most of the world-famous artists struggled with something in their life, like the death of loved ones, illness, poverty, war, and so on.
Hi Taylor! Thank you for sharing your point of view on this weeks blog. I love the art you chose this week. I hadn't had a chance to explore any of Goya's art work. Between the two styles you have chosen, I have to say I prefer the impressionism. I love the first piece, Impression Sunrise, that you presented to us. I think the elements of color and shape stick out to me and catch the eye easily. On the other hand, I totally understand your point of view about the effortless look. I can see that but I also kind of like that something so simple can paint a complex image.
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